Is it possible to get a Schengen visa? Pay or fake. How foreign tourists obtain a visa to Russia. Documents confirming your intention to return to your country of residence

Thoughts about visa difficulties arise for most tourists who are soon planning to be in the Schengen zone. In the vastness of the Internet, the stereotype about the bias and overly strict attitude of consulates has become firmly entrenched. Each consulate has its own nuances. They should be studied. This helps to understand which Schengen visa is easier to obtain.

In fact, most European countries are loyal to Russians.

In 2020, Russian citizens applying for a Schengen visa undergo biometrics. It is mandatory regardless of the country of destination.

The procedure, which at first glance seemed complicated, actually increased the already friendly attitude of a number of European states. Long-term multivisas are no longer a rarity.

Traditionally “beach” countries, in light of the economic crisis, are “fighting” with all their might for the attention of Russian tourists. This circumstance had a positive effect on visas, or more precisely, on the ease of obtaining them.

Where is it easier to get Schengen

The traditional six Schengen countries where it is easiest to get a visa:

• Spain
• Italy
• France
• Greece
• Slovakia
• Finland

Spain

Issues a “pass” for six months upon first application. It does not matter how many times the tourist has visited the Schengen area before. The Spanish consulate does not have a clear pattern for issuing visas. In all cases, it is better for the applicant to indicate in the application form that he is counting on a long-term visa with multiple entries. In 2020, Spain is called the country of the “easiest Schengen”.

The Spaniards pay attention to how exactly the tourist used the previously issued permits. If it turns out that he was in Spain significantly less and less frequently than in other Schengen countries, next time the consulate may issue a national visa instead of a Schengen visa. It is valid only in Spain.

France

Schengen countries

One of the most loyal European countries to Russians. Holders of a “clean” passport can count on a visa valid for 3-6 months.

If a tourist has visited the Schengen zone before, the French will most likely issue a visa for a year.

The tourist must indicate in the form that he plans to travel further by checking the MULT mark. In the “Duration of stay” section they write “90 days”, and France is indicated as the country of first entry.

France is one of the few European countries that issues a visa for 5 years. To do this, the tourist must make several trips and obtain two annual visas.

Italy

At the first application, a visa is issued for 3 months. In the second case - for a year. After 2-3 times, the “validity” period increases to two years. The more Schengen areas in your passport, the higher the likelihood of getting a multiple-entry Italian visa.

The only negative is the long queues at visa centers. According to statistics, Italy is the most popular European country among tourists.

Visa sample

Greece

Greece, plunged into an economic and political crisis, is doing everything to replace Turkey for the Russians. The Greeks issue a multiple visa for six months already on the second application.

On the third visit to the consulate or visa center, a Russian citizen has the right to count on an annual “pass”. To do this, in the questionnaire you need to highlight the column where “365/90” is indicated. However, the first visa will most likely be limited to the dates of the intended trip.

Finland

The country is popular among residents of northwestern Russia. When first applying, Finns issue a pass strictly for the travel dates. Then it becomes easier to get a multiple visa. Just the second time, there is a high probability of a six-month visa.

If a tourist uses the permit according to the rules and does not violate the rules of his stay in Finland, he has the right to count on visas with a longer validity period.

Slovakia

For several years, the Slovak authorities have been promising to issue two-year visas to Russians en masse. So far, in practice this rarely happens. However, obtaining an annual entry permit from this country has become easier.

To do this, a foreigner must have at least one trip under his belt. Slovakia is attentive to how the applicant complies with the terms of stay. A Schengen visa allows you to stay in Europe for no more than 90 days every six months.

This is what a multiple visa to Slovakia looks like

Worth considering

According to statistics, the number of failures is 1-2%. Based on requests and refusals, reviews from travelers and data from travel agencies, one can draw a conclusion about where to go on a trip so as not to encounter problems at the stage of preparing documents.

However, consular officers consider each application individually. A positive decision depends not only on the loyalty of the Schengen State, but also on the responsibility of the applicant.

It is important to carefully study the rules, prepare documents, and comply with biometrics and photography requirements. With proper behavior, most countries are ready to warmly “open their doors” to foreign guests.

We approached this issue comprehensively - we found out at the visa centers what is needed to obtain a Schengen visa for 5 years, and asked for advice from travelers who are already in full swing on their “five-year plans”.

What kind of visa are you dreaming about?

First, let's figure out what types of visas there are. A tourist Schengen visa falls under type “C” - this is a short-term visa that allows you to stay in the Schengen zone for no more than 90 days in six months. It is divided into 4 more types:

• C1 – visa for a period of up to 30 days – the so-called visa for travel dates, getting it is not very pleasant, because next time you will have to apply for everything again;
• C2 – visa for up to six months – also for beginners, not at all serious;
• C3 – visa for a year – not bad, but the appetite comes with eating;
• C4 – visa for a period of 1 to 5 years – this is exactly the ultimate dream of avid travelers.

Who really got Schengen for 5 years?

We found several travelers who received Schengen for 5 years. And they all applied for a visa at the French consulate.

The Italian visa center advised that in addition to the main set of documents, you should also provide an information letter requesting a long-term visa and justifying why you need it (I wonder if the fact that I am in love with Italy is an argument?).

However, they all make a reservation: the issuance of a visa and its validity period remain at the discretion of the country’s consulate general.

Important! A visa for 5 years can only be obtained with a passport whose validity expires no earlier than these 5 years. So take a close look at your foreigner and if necessary, apply for a visa for 2-3 or 4 years.

1. If you have receipts, hotel payments for previous trips to the country where you are applying for Schengen, attach them to the documents.
2. Always book a hotel not only for the upcoming trip, but also six months in advance, as if you are planning to visit the country several times. This will give you confidence that you will receive a visa for at least six months.
3. If someone in your family already has a three- or five-year visa, add a copy of it to the documents as if they were flying with you. No additional confirmation is required for this.
4. In addition to simply having the amount on your card, it is advisable to provide detailed description of all transactions on the card, so that receipts and withdrawals on the card for several months are reflected there.
5. Be sure to provide a certificate from work, a paid hotel, a paid car, etc. - the more confirmation, the more likely it is that you will be considered a solvent traveler.
6. Attach a letter to the set of documents requesting a long-term visa and justifying why you need it.

A Schengen visa for Russians in 2020 is needed for those who are going visit states included in the Schengen agreement. When traveling to a specific country, you can limit yourself to obtaining its national visa, but it is much more convenient to immediately open a Schengen visa.

Why do you need a Schengen visa?

Let's look at what a Schengen visa provides. Its presence allows you to visit the territory of 26 European countries. Having received permission from the embassy of one Schengen state, in most cases you will be able to enter the territory of any member of the agreement. Here you need to take into account some nuances (first entry rule, validity period), but usually a visa gives the right to travel virtually throughout Europe.

All issued permits are divided into long-term and short-term, by type and purpose of travel (tourist, work, business, etc.). The standard price for a Schengen visa for Russian citizens is 35 euros. Although the total cost of obtaining a permit can vary quite a lot depending on a number of circumstances.

How long is a Schengen visa issued?

The period for which a Schengen visa is issued depends on the purpose of the trip, the frequency of your visits to the agreement countries and a number of other factors. If you are traveling as a tourist, then if you have a positive history of visiting Schengen, you can apply for a permit for six months to a year. The practice of issuing short-term visas for up to a month on tourist vouchers is also common.

Longer-term permits are issued to those who travel to study or visit EU countries regularly for work or official needs. Russians who often visit Europe on tour packages can also eventually apply for multiple visas with a longer validity period.

A popular question is how long a Schengen visa is valid for the first time. Usually, when visiting EU countries for the first time, you should not count on a long-term multiple entry visa.. The standard option in such cases is to issue a permit for a period of up to 30 days.

Sometimes you can get an annual multivisa the first time. This may be due to studies, invitation of relatives living in Europe, or other factors. In such a situation, it makes sense to turn to intermediaries who will help to correctly collect the necessary documents, invitations and confirmations. At the end of the article, we will tell you how to get a Schengen visa for a year on your own in Moscow.

The validity period of a Schengen visa is indicated on the document itself. The type of permit, the start and end dates of its validity, the permissible number of entries and the total duration of stay are indicated. The number of entries can be 1, 2 or unlimited (indicated by the indices 01, 02 and MULT - multivisa). In the latter case, you can enter the Schengen territory many times with one permit.

Types of Schengen visas

The validity period of a visa also depends on its type and type. The following types of permissions exist:

• A– allows transit through the airport;
• B– opens for transit by land transport, given for 1–5 days. Today it is not issued by the Schengen zone states; instead, it is necessary to obtain a type C permit;
• C- the most popular type. Can be issued for both short periods (15 or 30 days) and up to 5 years;
• D– a national visa, it can be issued for a period longer than 5 years. Type D permits with long validity periods allow you to travel to other Schengen states.

It is important to distinguish between the validity period of a Schengen visa and the permissible period of stay abroad. Thus, a multivisa C valid for 180 days allows you to stay abroad for no longer than 90 days in a row (and no more than 90 days in total). Annual – no more than 90 days every six months.

C visas are divided into the following subtypes:

The longest period that is possible when applying for a standard Schengen multiple visa is 5 years. If you need to increase it, you need to obtain a national long-term visa D.

Types of Schengen visas

Schengen visas are divided into types according to the purpose of the trip. Their main varieties are:

• Tourist;
• Transit;
• Guest room;
• Working;
• Business;
• Student;
• Children's;
• Immigration;
• Service and diplomatic.

Transit, tourist and business cards are often issued for relatively short periods. Guest accommodation can be both short-term and long-term. Work, student, immigration, official and diplomatic are usually given for longer periods.

The maximum validity period of a Schengen visa type C is established for citizens who frequently and regularly visit the agreement countries for business reasons. Individuals reuniting with their families or planning to travel for permanent residence can also qualify for a five-year permit. It would be even more convenient for the latter category of citizens to apply for a national long-term visa D.

How much does it cost to get a Schengen visa

When preparing documents, citizens of the Russian Federation need to pay for a permit of categories C or A a mandatory consular fee of 35 euros. This fee is paid regardless of the place where the documents are processed - at the embassy, ​​visa center or travel agency. Cost of opening a national long-term visa D – 60 euros.

The price of obtaining a Schengen visa in 2020 for Russians may even be lower than 35 euros, provided that they fall into one of the preferential categories. These include:

• Citizens going for training;
• Disabled persons with accompanying persons;
• Close relatives of Schengen citizens;
• Persons traveling for urgent treatment;
• Members of official delegations, governments, supreme and constitutional courts, participants in exchange programs;
• Children under 6 years old.

The question often arises about how much a Schengen visa costs for a year or two. The cost of obtaining Type C permits does not depend on their validity period. In all cases, you must pay a consular fee and, if necessary, a service fee.

A service fee is charged when obtaining a permit at a visa center or through intermediaries (travel agency). Embassies and consulates are located only in Moscow and major cities. Therefore, residents of Russian regions in most cases have to use the services of visa centers (or travel agencies, which is even more expensive).

Calculating how much it costs to apply for a Schengen visa in 2020, don't forget about health insurance. Typically, insurance costs 1 euro per day, with total coverage of 30 thousand euros. When traveling to ski resorts rates are higher – 2 euros per day.

The total cost of obtaining a Schengen visa in 2020 will include:

• Consular fee, 35 euros;
• If necessary, a service fee of approximately 21 euros is available at different countries– different;
• Medical insurance – from 1 euro for 1 day.

The amount of the service fee may differ significantly from country to country. So, the fee for 2020 is:

Additional costs for paperwork

The timing and cost of obtaining a Schengen visa in 2020 may be interrelated. So, if you are going to get an urgent permit, you will pay twice as much - 70 euros. In this case, documents can be completed in only 3 days.

When obtaining permission from a travel company, the cost of services increases. To increase the likelihood of resolving the issue, they may issue you a “fake” tourist voucher. In this case, the services of intermediaries will cost approximately 70–140 euros.

Registration deadlines

The question of how long it takes to obtain a Schengen visa can, in certain situations, become the most important for those traveling abroad. Usually documents are processed in 5–10 days. The standard review period is 10 days, but sometimes it can be extended to 1 month. When submitting an application, you should take into account the possible presence of various national holidays in the coming days. Embassies and consulates are closed these days.

An important condition is that you can start processing documents no earlier than 3 months from the planned trip.

If you are very pressed for deadlines, it is worth ordering a permit through an expedited procedure. It will cost about 2 times more, but you will get the finished result in 3 days. This solution may be especially appropriate in the summer season.

Sometimes applicants fill out application forms or other submitted documents incorrectly. No one can answer you for sure how much Schengen is being done in this case. In order not to waste time, increasing the likelihood of refusal, all documents must be filled out extremely carefully. If this causes serious difficulties, it is better to turn to intermediaries.

Rules for document preparation

Let's move on to the most important issue: how to open a Schengen visa. To avoid refusal, you should fill out the application form correctly and carefully prepare the documents. The form must be filled out in English or the language of the country of application. Some states allow filling out the application form in Russian.

Serious difficulties may arise when translating text into a number of languages. By contacting an intermediary company, this problem will be eliminated, since the translation will be handled by professionals. But you will need to pay for translation services.

The new conditions for obtaining a Schengen visa provide for the mandatory submission of biometric data by the applicant. To obtain biometrics, you must personally visit the consulate or visa center. The collected data is valid for 5 years.

Required documents

The Schengen visa rules establish a standard list of documents that the applicant must provide. This list includes:

1. A completed application form signed by the applicant;
2. International passport;
3. Certificate of income from work;
4. A copy of your general passport;
5. Two photographs;
6. Medical insurance;
7. Confirmation of solvency;
8. Confirmation of the purpose of the trip.

Pensioners also need to provide a pension certificate, minors - parental consent, a copy of the birth certificate, and a copy of the accompanying person's visa.

Please note that the list of documents may vary slightly for different countries and trips for different purposes.

To open a Schengen visa, the applicant will be required to confirm the purpose of the trip and his own solvency. Confirmation of the first can be a letter from the employer, a document on enrollment in a university, an invitation from relatives, a travel voucher with air tickets. You can confirm your solvency by means of a certificate from work, a bank statement or a sponsorship letter. It is advisable to make a statement not only on the status of accounts, but also on the movement of funds for 3 months.

Photos are usually required to be 35x45mm in size. The passport must have at least two blank pages and be valid for at least 3 months after completion of the trip.

How to apply for a Schengen visa yourself

If you do not want to overpay for paperwork, you can complete all the necessary procedures yourself. Let's look at an example of how to get a Schengen visa yourself in Moscow.

First, you need to decide which embassy to apply for a visa at. If a short-term visit is planned tourist trip with the opening of a one-time permit, then there are no options - you need to get it at the institution of the country of destination.

But to obtain a multiple visa, you can try to choose an embassy where it is easier to open a permit. In this sense, Russians are treated quite loyally in Finland, Latvia, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, and Greece.

If there is a visa center for a specific country in Moscow, then it is better to contact it. You can also try contacting the embassy directly and try to get a Schengen visa for only 35 euros. But usually, when a visa center is opened, all functions for processing documents are transferred to it.

The procedure for obtaining a visa on your own

1. When contacting a consular office, first of all carefully study the list of all necessary documents. Decide on available dates, make an appointment, and receive a form. Please read the rules for filling it out carefully.
2. After this, proceed to collecting documents (see sample list above). How long you take to collect documents, the solution to the whole issue will take so long.
3. Having collected all the documents, submit them to the consular officer at the appointed time. You pay the consular fee and, if necessary, a service fee.
4. The consular officer will schedule a time for you to come and get your visa.

In some cases, all stages of document processing can be tracked directly on the consular website. Please note that you may not be issued a visa. If this happens, you will be informed of the reason for the refusal and a corresponding stamp will be placed in your passport.

Let's return to the question of how to get a Schengen visa in Moscow for a year. When applying for a multiple visa, the procedure is exactly the same. You just need to consider a number of factors that contribute to a positive decision. Among them are the following conditions:

• You regularly visit Europe for business or leisure trips;
• You have relatives living in Schengen;
• You have real estate in the agreement zone;
• You intend to study abroad;
• Do you have business contacts with enterprises from countries in the zone?

What is the best way to prepare documents – independently or through intermediaries?

Above we described how to apply for and obtain a Schengen visa yourself. It is worth understanding that a minor mistake when preparing documents can cause a refusal. You may write something incorrectly in the application form or miss the validity period of a specific certificate. It can be quite difficult to notice such flaws yourself and, as a result, you will not be able to obtain a permit.

To eliminate such excesses, you can contact an intermediary agency. In this case, permission will be made within a clearly defined time frame with a very low probability of refusal. You will pay a small amount for the services of intermediaries (approximately 3,000–5,000 rubles), but your chances of a timely and positive resolution of the issue will significantly increase.

Video: applying for a visa according to the new rules

4. Attach copies of pages of your previous passport

If your previous passport has expired, but it had visas (not necessarily Schengen), then be sure to attach copies of all pages - this will show that you love to travel, but always return to your homeland :) If your old passport had at least one Schengen visa , then in the new one it is quite possible to get Schengen for a year or more.

5. Where is the best place to make a hotel reservation?

Many people ask whether booking from a Schengen visa is suitable - it used to be suitable. Now tourists sometimes have questions from the consulate in connection with this company in Europe. Therefore, it is better to make a reservation for a visa for the first trip on Booking - there have never been any questions. Moreover, now Booking already offers almost all the same apartments at the same prices as AirBNB.

It is ideal if you include a detailed planned itinerary with your hotel reservations, what and where you are going to see.

6. Book a hotel without canceling

Often, first-time tourists find on forums that they can book a hotel without paying in advance for a visa, and then cancel the reservation. Keep in mind that consulates are now increasingly canceling visas if a tourist cancels their reservation. Or next time it may cause a visa refusal. Sometimes tourists learn about the cancellation of their visa only at the border. There have already been cases - for example, and.
In addition, hotel reservations made without a credit card at all do not contribute to obtaining a long-term visa. To obtain a multi-Schengen visa, it is best to submit prepaid reservations. If you have doubts about obtaining a visa, then look on Booking for a hotel with the possibility of cancellation, but one in which you will actually stay later, so as not to cancel in the future.
And if suddenly, after receiving a visa, you need to rebook a hotel or apartment, then it is better to write a letter to the consulate and attach an explanation and a copy of the new reservation.

7. Make copies of property ownership documents

Some European consulates do not require a certificate for an apartment, car, house, etc., but they do not refuse copies of these papers, because these documents confirm that you have something to lose, and you are not going to remain homeless in Europe.

8. List of countries in which it is easiest to obtain a long-term Schengen visa in 2020

The easiest way to get a multi-Shengen is in France (most often they give it for 5 years), Spain, Italy, Slovakia. But keep in mind that these are the countries that zealously ensure that tourists rest on their territory for as long as possible, and do not rush around all over Europe. Therefore, when submitting documents there will be more chances to get a long-term visa at the consulate of the country where you already vacationed last time. This means that if you already had, for example, a French visa, then it is better to apply for the next visa to the French consulate. Those. try to stick to the consulate one countries.

According to reviews from tourists.
In 2020, the easiest way is to get a 5-year visa to France. In Spain, if all documents are collected correctly and submitted independently, newcomers are usually given a year, experienced – 2 years, if they have real estate – 3 years. Long-term visas to Greece have become increasingly rare.

Answers to questions

I will post some answers to questions here for convenience.

Where to find the list of documents for a visa, current, 2020

There is a lot of outdated information on the Internet, so always check lists of documents and requirements only on official websites! Information may change at any time.
We publish a list of official websites of those countries where it is easiest to obtain a visa - official websites of consulates and visa centers in Russia:

• Addresses and list of documents for a France visa -.
• Visas to Greece – office. website .
• Applying for a visa to Spain - list of documents, requirements and registration for submitting documents.

If there is no consulate in your city, there may be a visa center - see the information on the official websites, everything is written in detail in Russian.

Noticed the changes? Write in the comments.

Do you have to enter only the country where you are applying for a visa?

No! This is not in the rules. However, there are rumors that consulate officials take entry stamps into account when issuing the next visa.

There is no first entry rule - you can enter the country you want, but then according to the rules, you must spend most of the trip in the country where you are applying for a visa. This is confirmed by hotel reservations.

What are the basic rules for using a Schengen visa?

1. According to the rules, you cannot stay in Schengen for more than 90 days out of 180. To calculate exactly when you can enter, here is the official visa calculator.
2. You must spend most of your trip in the country for which you received your visa. This means that, for example, with a Schengen visa to Spain you can visit, but you cannot spend more time in each of them than in Spain. For example: 10 days in France, 7 days in the Czech Republic, 12 days in Spain.

Do you have anything to add? Write to

Prepare documents for visas in accordance with the list on the website. Deliver them to our office in person, through your representative or through any courier service (Major-Express, Courier-Service-Express, Dimex, SDEK, DHL or another). You need to send documents to our address: 125009, Moscow, st. Tverskaya, 20, office 301, Kalinka Service LLC, +7495-228-0807.
Please note that the day of receipt of documents is not included in the registration period. The deadline for obtaining a visa is counted from the next working day if the documents were received before 13:00 Moscow time, for visas to some countries until 14:00, 15:00, 18:00 (if necessary, this time can be obtained from the manager).
When documents are received, our manager will check them and create an order, about which you will be notified by e-mail.